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Eutrophication of ecosystems
Year Value Units
2000 84.377 Percentage
2005 79.447 Percentage
2010 75.752 Percentage
2015 68.677 Percentage
2016 71.592 Percentage
2017 71.334 Percentage
2018 68.811 Percentage
2019 68.513 Percentage
2001 Percentage
2002 Percentage
2003 Percentage
2004 Percentage
2006 Percentage
2007 Percentage
2008 Percentage
2009 Percentage
2011 Percentage
2012 Percentage
2013 Percentage
2014 Percentage
2030 Percentage

Data source: German Environment Agency

Geographical Area: Germany

This table includes additional information to the above visualized indicators, i.e. a short definition of this indicator and a description of the politically determined target values as well as explaining the political intention behind selecting this indicator.

Definition (Text from the Indicator Report 2022 - State 31.10.2022)

The indicator shows the sensitive ecosystem area where the critical ecological loads have been exceeded due to atmospheric nitrogen inputs, as a proportion of the total assessed sensitive ecosystem area.
Definition

The indicator represents the proportion of the area of sensitive terrestrial ecosystems (in per cent) where the ecological critical loads were exceeded due to atmospheric nitrogen deposition, measured against the total assessed area of sensitive ecosystems.
Intention

The ecological load limits are a measure of the sensitivity of an ecosystem to the input of a pollutant. If the input of air pollutants is below these critical loads, no harmful effects on the structure and function of an ecosystem are to be expected according to the current state of knowledge. Almost half of all ferns and flowering plants on the Red List in Germany are endangered by nutrient inputs.
Target

Reduction by 35 per cent by 2030 compared to 2005
Type of target

Goal with a specific target value
Implemen­tation in weather symbol calculation

The proportion of sensitive terrestrial ecosystems that exceed the eutrophication thresholds is to be reduced to a maximum of 52 per cent by 2030.


Based on the target formulation, indicator 15.2 will be around 60 per cent in 2030 if the trend of the last six years continues. Due to the large gap to the politically defined target value, indicator 15.2 is rated as “Cloud” for 2019.
Assessment

Weathersymbol: cloud
Data state

15.01.2025

15.2 Eutrophication of ecosystems

Nitrogen, which enters the atmosphere in the form of ammonia or nitrogen oxides, can be deposited into ecosystems as a gas, dissolved in rain, or as a component of particulate matter.

Excessive deposition of nitrogen compounds from the air into terrestrial ecosystems can lead to nutrient imbalances. This affects, among other things, species composition: plant species that prefer nitrogen-poor sites are displaced by nitrogen-loving species. Furthermore, altered nutrient availability increases the susceptibility of many plants to frost, drought, or pests. The consequences of elevated nitrogen deposition often manifest only with a temporal delay. Similarly, positive effects of reduced deposition frequently only become apparent after several years.

Emissions of ammonia and nitrogen oxides, which are recorded in Indicator 3.2.a “Emissions of Air Pollutants,” have a direct impact on the eutrophication of ecosystems. Sensitive ecosystems included in the indicator’s calculation comprise forests, semi-natural grasslands, bogs, marshes, and heaths.

Ecosystem-specific critical loads are used to assess nitrogen deposition. When these limits are adhered to, the structure, function, and species communities of an ecosystem are preserved according to current scientific understanding. Approximately eleven million hectares are assessed in this manner, representing nearly one third of Germany’s total area.

In 2019, nitrogen deposition exceeded the critical loads on 69 % of the assessed sensitive ecosystems in Germany. Particularly high exceedances occur in parts of northern Germany, where intensive agriculture releases large amounts of reactive nitrogen compounds.

Between 2000 and 2015, the proportion of affected areas was reduced by 15 percentage points. Since then, no further reduction in the share of impacted areas has been observed.

The calculation of the indicator is performed by the German Environment Agency (UBA) and is based on two datasets: The first is the Critical Load dataset provided by the UBA within the framework of international reporting to the Geneva Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP). This is based, among other data, on the soil overview map of Germany, the map of average annual leachate rates, land use distribution, and climate data. The second dataset comprises a time series of nitrogen deposition in Germany, calculated within the framework of the PINETI IV project (Pollutant INput and EcosysTem Impact).